


Causeless Love

by Aurae



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Bitterness, Getting Back Together, M/M, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Recruitment, Shipoween 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-12-28 00:26:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21127763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aurae/pseuds/Aurae
Summary: The Resistance wants him, but Jacen has decided he doesn’t want anything to do with the Resistance. Poe needs to convince him otherwise.





	Causeless Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ambiguously](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambiguously/gifts).

> _“The Second Temple was destroyed because of causeless hatred. Perhaps the Third will be rebuilt because of causeless love.” — Abraham Isaac Kook_

“You’re not an easy man to locate.”

Although the interior of the cantina is so dimly lit that his green hair appears dull and gray, there’s no question whatsoever about the identity of the lone being sitting hunched over at the bar.

“Fuck off, Dameron,” Jacen Syndulla says. “The answer’s _no_.”

Well, he wasn’t exactly expecting a warm reception, all things considered, now was he? Undeterred, Poe pulls up a seat, sits down, and puts on his bestest happy face. “Oh c’mon, Jacen ol’ buddy, I haven’t even asked you for anything yet!”

Jacen just grimaces and calls for another drink. He doesn’t offer to treat Poe, Poe notices, and he refuses to look Poe in the eye. Poe decides it doesn’t matter—this little fly-by is for business anyways, not pleasure.

“I suppose you’ve heard what happened—” Poe begins.

“Who in the galaxy hasn’t.” It’s not a question.

Yeah, the Resistance hasn’t exactly been covering itself in glory since D’Qar and Crait. Figures, given his personal history, that Jacen would be following the news, even if he doesn’t want to. It makes things easier for Poe, at least.

“Then you know that we’re, uhh, shall we say, rather, ahem, short of personnel at the moment. Especially starfighter pilots.”

“I wonder why that is.” _That_ isn’t a question either.

“We could use your help.”

“I could’ve sworn I already said no.”

“But Jacen, you were one of the Academy’s most promising cadets before you dropped out—”

“And how quickly you forget that _you_ were the reason I dropped out, Dameron.” Jacen takes a long pull from his drink and slams the empty vessel back down onto the bar with such a loud crash that Poe is surprised he doesn’t break it.

Poe sucks in a breath and scratches the back of his head nervously. He’d been hoping Jacen would be over those little adolescent indiscretions, but apparently he isn’t. “Fine. You don’t want to be a pilot anymore? Okay, I can respect that. You can use the Force or whatever instead. We’ve got a new Jedi on our side, and she’s amaz—”

Jacen whirls about, and for the first time since coming into the cantina, Poe can see his eyes. They’re bloodshot and wet with unshed tears. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to be a Jedi either, you know! I only went to the Temple in the first place to get the fuck away from _you_! And I wasn’t there half a year before Ben Solo, before he…he…”

Poe doesn’t quite know what to say. “Jacen, I—”

“I barely made it out alive. I’ve had enough of fighting, and I’ve had enough of death,” Jacen continues. “I just want to be left alone! To be! Left!! Alone!!!”

Even a Force-blind being like Poe can feel the shake of Jacen’s grief-stricken anger, unrelieved by the passing of years, and it spurs him into saying something he’s never before said to Jacen…or to anybody else for that matter, not really. “Look, I—I’m sorry. I was young and stupid, and I didn’t appreciate what I had. I hurt you; I realize that now. I would make it up to you if I could.”

Jacen’s anger seems to decay into simple sadness. How is it fair that someone can be so good-looking when they’re so self-evidently miserable? Poe can’t help it; he leans over and kisses him.

The kiss is sweet, and it lingers. A brush of tongue, a hint of teeth. Jacen doesn’t resist.

“You don’t have to fight if you don’t want to,” Poe murmurs into Jacen’s mouth, stroking the soft shell of Jacen’s ear with the back of one hand, “but come back with me. It doesn’t have to be for the Resistance. Come back _for me_. _I_ want you back. I’ve missed you so much.”

Jacen actually laughs at that, but the sound is openhearted, not bitter. It makes Poe want to kiss him again. “How is it that you always make everything about _you_, Dameron?”

“Huh, what? You mean it’s not always about me…?!” Poe asks, smirking, back on form.

“Yikes. Is that a minor variation on your standard recruitment pitch there? Cuz I sure as hell hope not—you are sooo not an argument in the Resistance’s favor.”

“I’m almost insulted.”

“Good. The insult was entirely intentional.”

Jacen orders another drink; this time, however, he offers to treat Poe. Poe accepts, and after they finish, they exit the cantina together.

Arm in arm.

Back to the Resistance. Back into the fight.

END

**Author's Note:**

> Posted to the exchange on October 22, 2019.


End file.
